Under that corktree
by honeymello
Summary: Kim's life isn't what she expects to be, so she try to change it. New lenguages, new places, new people. Could the life she know change by one thing she does? One-shot, and first publish story. R


**KIM'S POV**

I couldn't take it anymore, my life that is. so simple, so normal. A boring life if I may say. Nothing new, nothing exiting, not a thing to do. What did I do? The thing every single person dreams about even if they could do it just one time in their life. I took all my savings I had mustered up over the years, went to the airport, and bought a ticket to the next flight leaving Seaford, not even bothering to know where I was going. The trip went for what seemed hours, and it really must have been a long time. I spent most of the time in the plane sleeping to the soothing sounds of Mozart. The way he hit the notes so gracefully, a melody done by angels, meant to divine creatures, it took me out of the boring life I lived, he sent me to the classical world I've dreamed about so many times. The place novels talk about princes, princesses, mystical creatures, and the one thing I'm fascinated about but at the same time afraid of: love.

In the midst of my thoughts I hadn't noticed that the plane landed. Finally, after so many hours, I started to take in where I am. As I got out of the plane I could see a sign written "benvenuti in Italia!" and underneath that was written "welcome to Italy!" Italy, so that's where I am. Two whole weeks in Italy, this should be good. As I walked outside I was greeted by the Mediterranean climate, I could feel the wind in my hair, the sun in my skin, happiness all over me. I was free, I could be myself, no parents to judge you, no jerky boyfriend to try to please. Just me, for the first time in my life.

But then, just in time, my damn conscience decided to kick up again. Where would I stay? How will I survive in a country where I can't even speak the mother tongue? So let me recap what I just did. I bought a ticket to Italy without even knowing where I was going or the fact that I don't even speak Italian. Nice going Kim, you're so stupid! I'm going to die! No I have my credit cards what a relief, but wait, hold on a sec, I forgot my charger. Just _great_, when I go back home I'm dead. Fortunately, my happiness was bigger than my stupid conscience. I got in a cab and asked the driver to drive me to the coliseum. As long as I'm here I think I deserve to go to the place of my dreams, even if millions of people died there. It's still a piece of art. A piece of humanity. Piece of history. I went in, I could hear the spirit of the crowd that once had been heard here and had stood where I am right now. So many people, one little place. Imagine that. Lots of tourists walk through the arcs with tour guides by their side, walking where once lived beasts, born to kill humans where many have died, neither of those people will ever know if a family had died there, if his or her own DNA was dropped in the arena. Just being so close to the ancient history of this place made me shiver. This place was meant for me, or even the opposite, I just knew I belonged there. This is my true love, history, if I can't find someone to depose it I will still have the history of what happened for millenniums and it will never let me down, discovering ancient lives and so many other things that you could never discover it all.

I got out of that magnificent place and it was hot! I felt like dying. I went to a little café in front of the beautiful Italian ancient architecture. I got a table outside the noisy and crowded café, and soon enough a waiter came with a little notebook in his hand. He had messy brown hair, a strong build that you could see through his black shirt, and the best part? Deep chocolate brown eyes that every girl dreams about… the definition of perfection was looking right at me. As our eyes met, we were in trance until he opened his mouth, oh those beautiful lips.

"Bon giorno! Mi chiamo Jack e io saro Il vostro cameriere"

Me: "Scusa?"

"No parla italiano"

Me: "Scusa?"

"Speak English?"

Me: "Oh thanks god!"I said while a laugh of relief got out of my lips, in the direction of the now cold Italian air.

"So what would you like?"

Me: "I have no idea of what anything on this menu means"

"How about a cioccolata?"

Me: "A what?! English please?"

"I mean a hot chocolate" I could feel the warmness getting out of those _cioccolato _eyes. It was like they were looking something over me, it seemed like I wasn't me, I wasn't Kim Crawford the boring history teacher, I was just Kim a tourist in Italy.

Me: "Yeah, that would be great." I said while nodding.

"Anything else?"

Me: "No, thank you"

He went inside, somewhere I couldn't see him. I was alone again, just me and the stars above. I could see so many faces, of course I didn't know any, but I knew the expression on their faces.. enjoyment, pleasure, they were happy being with their families, the ones they knew, were friends with, and loved.

"Here's your cioccolato miss"

Me: "Thank you, and it's Kim, Kim Crawford"

"Are you waiting for someone Ms. Crawford?"

Me: "Please call me Kim, and no I'm not waiting for anyone at all, I'm stupid enough to come to Italy without speaking Italian."

"Is that sarcasm?"

Me: "No, no! Sorry if it seemed, it's true, really I'm an idiot"

Hope popped in his eyes, a warm smile grew on his lips, and again I started to stare at those beautiful lips, so kissable, so strangely known, so incredibly different, but in a good way.

"Do you need someone to show you around?"

Me: "I would love you to show me around, but aren't you at work?"

"Not if I don't want to, it's my family's coffee, and I'm on holidays from college right now so I have plenty of time."

Me: "All right so I'm your tourist you're my guide Mr. College Guy"

"Ok Ms. Tourist Gal, we leave tomorrow at 8 a.m."

Me: "If you don't mind me asking, where exactly are we going to go? And could you by any chance help me find someplace to sleep?"

"Well that's for me to know and you to find out. It's a surprise, and you can stay at a hotel nearby. It's my friend's."

The next morning, I woke up with a sudden explosion of rays of light that was named by "Jack opened the windows" in his face you could see a little smirk growing to a smile as he saw my face rise up to see the watch. 6 a.m. Didn't he say we would leave at 8a.m.? WTF was he doing here right now, I mean, it's a time meant to sleep, SLEEP FOR GOODNESS'S SAKE! It's too early to do anything. I growled and heard a little laugh after it, but again to early to do anything, even beat someone up.

"Wake up sleeping beauty"

Me: "But it's just 6 a.m. for cryin' out loud! What do you want ya ass? Because right now I really could care less, I like my beauty sleep for your information!"

"Not happening Ms. Tourist Gal, and no buts! You need to take a bath, pack your things and eat breakfast, and because I'm nice it's right here in my hands"

My stomach started complaining, and so I started to feel that delicious sugary smell of tiramisu. Best part, I didn't have to pay, yeah, selfish I know but I need to save money! Jack sat at the end of the bed, I looked at him , his face was with a sympathetic smile. He put the tiramisu at my lap with a fork, just looking at it was so good, so delicious, the last time I ate It was at my sweet 16 party, but that was more of a dinner. When I first put it in my mouth I could feel all the flavors melt, the sugar, the coffee, very different but yet every single flavor was dancing in my tongue and guided itself down to my tummy. It seemed like a rainbow with caffeine, a magical experience. Jack's eyes had a playful look at them as if hewas amazed by seeing me eat the tiramisu.

"I think you like tiramisu, but I don't know why I can't be sure!" He said in a totally sarcasm voice

Me: "So what if I like it?"

"Nothing, just saying. I'll let you eat."

Me: "You better, if you don't want to get hurt that is."

He laughs, such a sweet laugh, so childish in a good way, so innocent with its dark sides. This guy always thrills me and I have no idea why, since I just met him, which was what.. just some hours ago? Well, 8 hours and 32 minutes to be exact, but hey who cares, who's even counting? He was like my own fount of happiness. And as idiotic as it seems I want it all just to me, I don't want to share with anyone in this world, not even for a thousand dollars.

"Go on and take a bath, we're going to visit the Toscana"

Me: "Like the pizza?"

"Umm, no, like hell no! It's a place, you -!" He stopped midway when he noticed me laughing my ass off.

Me: "I know it's a place! I'm just kidding, I'm not that much of an idiot!"

"You just said you're idiot"

Me: "Shut up! I'm going to take a bath!"

"Of course you do"

Me: "Can you feel the daggers?"

"Come on go! The Toscana is waiting for us!""

My eyes gleamed with those words, and by those I mean Toscana. Oh the Toscana a dream to me, the home of love, one of the most famous places in Italy even in the world, and Jack is going to take me there. One more dream coming true, one more check on my thing to do before I die list, one more reason to love Jack. I know it seems to fast but we just connected, I feel like I've know him my entire life, and that seems too cheesy even to me. It's ridiculous to me too, I don't even know this guy, he could be a serial killer, a drug dealer but again, I trust him, I LOVE him.

I got out of the bed and went to a warm shower, my thoughts still haunting me , even the chocolate shampoo made me remember him, the slightest details on anything made me remember him. I got out of the bath and rambled myself in a soft cotton towel. Got into my comfy but yet good looking clothes, short shorts and a tank top.

Jack: "Ready to have the time of your life?"

Me: "I hope so Jack"

Jack: "Don't worry, I'll make it perfect!"

Me: "I know you will"

Jack: "Good, now let's hit the road?"

Jack: "Duh?"

Jack: "Funny smartypants." He said sarcastically.

We went for hours on a dirt road, discovering so much about each other, I can't remember one single moment of silence, he was so interesting, last year at med school, soon to earn his family restaurant, broke up with his ex two months ago! And the list went really long, he was really making this trip perfect, to me even more than that. At 12 o'clock we stopped near a big corktree in the side of the road, he took a couple of sandwiches out of a box and handed one to me.

Jack: "Liking it Kimmers?"

Me: "Yeah, it's beautiful"

Jack: "I'm glad you like it"

The sun shined in the contact with my golden locks, a slight breeze passed through me, it was simply perfect. Jack's eyes were on me, I turned around and our eyes met, the sun suddenly got brighter and turned warmer, like it was meant just for us.

Jack: "You wanna know another beautiful thing about Italy?"

Me: "What?"

Jack: "You can find anyone, you can find love"

Jack: "Oh"

He stepped closer to me, close enough that our bodies were touching. I was blushing, not from shame or warmth, but from love, the joy of being so close to the one you care the most.

Jack: "I know it's too fast Kim but I love you like there's no tomorrow"

I shake my head, I was trembling.

Jack: "Sorry, Kim, shit, I didn't mean for this to happen!"

He stepped back, it was like a cold knife passing through my heart, it hurted knowing that he loved me and that I wasn't even capacitated to move, to say that I loved him back, with all my heart. As surprise and fear leaved me, I obligated my body to took one step, than another until I was face to face with Jack.

Me: "I love you too"

He took my cheeks in his hands and kissed me until we were both satisfied witch each other's mouths and needed air.

Jack: "C'mon we have a country to see, and there's not another person I'd rather be seeing it with."

Me: "Thanks Jack. For everything"

Jack: "No need, just knowing you love me is payment enough, better than winning any prize, I love you so much"

Me: "Me too and it will be forever"

Jack: "Forever" he said while we headed back to the car hand in hand.

**A/N: Well guys hope you liked it, i've studied italian trees! so please say you have liked! And this was my first story (one-shot) published, pleeeease review, be mean be nice, say anything you want! that's it i'm out.**


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